Monday, 3 October 2011

Lockerbie bomber says truth will soon emerge

Looking frail and unshaven, with his breathing laboured, Megrahi said that the truth about the Lockerbie bombing will soon emerge.

"The facts [about the attack] will become clear one day and hopefully in the near future,” he announced from his hospital-style bed at his home in the Libyan capital Tripoli. The alleged terrorist was released from prison in Scotland two years ago on compassionate grounds because he was suffering from terminal cancer.

"The West exaggerated my name. Please leave me alone. I only have a few more days, weeks or months."

Megrahi was found guilty of bombing Pan Am flight 103 while it was en route from London to New York on Dec. 21, 1988. All 259 people aboard the plane were killed and 11 others on the ground died from falling wreckage. Megrahi has called the trial that led to his conviction a farce.The proceedings were held in a Dutch court under Scottish jurisdiction.

"Camp Zeist Court is the smallest place on earth that contains the largest number of liars. I suffered from the liars at Camp Zeist Court more than you can imagine," he said.

Asked about his role as an intelligence agent during the rule of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Megrahi denied any role in the human rights abuses committed by Gaddafi's administration.
"All my work was administrative. I never harmed Libyans," he said." I didn't harm anyone. I've never harmed anyone in my life."
He said had little knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Gaddafi's overthrow and that the armed groups which toppled Gaddafi had invaded his home and mistreated him.
"I don't know anything about February 17th...that's not a question for a sick person,” he said, referring to the popular uprising against the ousted Libyan leader earlier this year. "My house has been violated. They smashed the main door and stole my cars."
He also said he was being denied medical treatment which he said was stipulated in the deal that saw him returned from Scotland to Libya.
"I was treated badly when I came back. During the latest incidents, especially in the last month, I have a shortage of all my medicines."
The overthrow of Col Gaddafi, who paraded Megrahi as a victory over his western enemies, prompted calls by US senators for him to be sent back to Britain to complete his sentence. But the calls were silenced by the National Transitional Council, Libya’s internationally-recognised rebel government, who said that they “do not hand over Libyan citizens.”
Megrahi remains adamant he wants to die in his native land. "I want to die in my house, among my family,” he proclaimed. “I hope to God that I will see my country united, with no fighting or war. I hope the bloodshed will stop in Libya. I wish all the best for my country."

By Emanuelle Degli Esposti taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8804254/Libya-Lockerbie-bomber-says-truth-will-soon-emerge.html